Fresh from engineering Renault’s operational turnaround in South Korea, Renault India CEO and Managing Director Stéphane Deblaise is bringing that turnaround playbook to India after holding talks with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal last week on advanced manufacturing, localisation, and electric and hybrid mobility.
The discussions come as Renault pursues a €2-billion export ambition and seeks to make India one of Renault Group’s three largest global centres for manufacturing, engineering and exports by 2030.
If Deblaise can recreate the success he delivered in South Korea, Renault’s India operations could evolve from one of the Group’s smallest passenger-vehicle businesses into one of its most strategically important industrial bases. More broadly, the strategy aligns with India’s ambition to secure global product mandates, engineering programs and export-led manufacturing investments rather than merely vehicle assembly.
Sharing details of the meeting, Goyal said discussions centred on “expanding advanced manufacturing, deepening localisation, and strengthening India’s position as a global hub for automotive innovation and electric & hybrid mobility.”
Deblaise said the two sides had “exchanged perspectives on the Renault FutuReady India plan to export €2 billion.” “We discussed the evolving opportunities for manufacturing, innovation, exports and the role of policy in strengthening India’s competitiveness as a global automotive and engineering hub,” he said.
He added that Renault Group “remains committed to India’s long-term growth story and to contributing meaningfully to the country’s industrial and technological ambition.”
The meeting highlighted the growing alignment between India’s manufacturing ambitions and Renault’s long-term strategy, with both sides placing greater emphasis on localisation, exports and higher-value automotive investment.
Seven-model offensive built on two-platform strategy
Renault’s FutuReady India strategy combines its largest-ever product offensive with a new two-platform, multi-energy architecture.
The company plans to introduce seven new models and 22 variants by 2030, including the next-generation Duster, new SUVs, expanded CNG offerings and its first locally manufactured mass-market electric vehicle, as it seeks to raise its passenger-vehicle market share to around 5 per cent and reposition itself in the faster-growing B- and C-segment SUV market.
The Renault Group Entry Platform (RGEP) will underpin updated versions of the Kwid, Kiger and Triber, including factory-fitted CNG variants, while the more flexible Renault Group Modular Platform (RGMP) will support future SUVs with internal-combustion, hybrid and battery-electric powertrains.
By sharing common architectures across multiple technologies, Renault aims to lower development costs while retaining the flexibility to respond to changing consumer demand and tighter emission regulations.
Why Renault turned to its Korea turnaround specialist
Deblaise’s appointment in September 2025 was no routine management change. Having modernised Renault Korea’s Busan operations, repositioned the business towards higher-value SUVs and strengthened its export capabilities, he was chosen to execute a similar transformation in India after Renault’s passenger-vehicle market share slipped below 1 per cent and its ageing product portfolio lost momentum in an increasingly SUV-led market.
The objective is to rebuild Renault’s domestic presence while increasing India’s contribution to the Group’s global business. The company is targeting around 5 per cent passenger-vehicle market share by 2030 through a combination of new products, higher localisation, expanded engineering capabilities and exports.
Renault’s product overhaul is also aimed at correcting one of its biggest competitive weaknesses in India. While models such as the Kwid and Triber helped establish the brand in the value segment, they struggled to keep pace as buyers increasingly shifted towards feature-rich SUVs.
The next-generation Duster and future SUVs are therefore expected to offer premium features such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), panoramic sunroofs and larger digital interfaces, enabling Renault to compete more effectively in one of India’s fastest-growing passenger-vehicle segments.
Rather than betting exclusively on battery-electric vehicles, Deblaise is pursuing a multi-energy strategy built around flexible manufacturing that can produce internal-combustion, strong-hybrid, and battery-electric vehicles on common production lines.
The initial product push will centre on premium SUVs, including the next-generation Duster and future models based on Renault’s modular architecture, with hybrids expected to serve as a bridge as electric-vehicle adoption gathers pace.
The approach allows Renault to respond to changing consumer demand while preparing for tighter fuel-efficiency and emission regulations, reducing dependence on any single technology during India’s transition towards cleaner mobility.
Chennai becomes the foundation
A key enabler is Renault’s acquisition of Nissan’s remaining 51 per cent stake in the Chennai manufacturing joint venture, giving the French automaker complete ownership of the facility.
Full control allows Renault to accelerate investment decisions, streamline the local supplier base and retool the plant around new vehicle platforms while integrating product development, manufacturing and exports under a single operating structure.
The acquisition also gives Renault greater operational autonomy in India. While Renault and Nissan will continue collaborating on common vehicle platforms and engineering, Renault now has greater flexibility over product planning, investment and export strategy.
Higher localisation will reduce import dependence, strengthen the domestic supplier ecosystem and improve export competitiveness, supporting both Renault’s growth plans and India’s industrial objectives.
If Deblaise can recreate the turnaround he achieved in South Korea, India could emerge as one of Renault Group’s most strategically important operations worldwide.